Rating: 
Summary: A simple beauty
Review: With 'The Straight Story' David Lynch has weaved together a subtle, fascinating story about age, regret, and family. The tale is of Alvin Straight, a 73 year old man who has seen most of what life has to dish out and learns that his brother suffered a stroke. With bad eyes and no license, he sets out on a journey on a riding lawnmower to see his brother, who he hasn't spoken to in ten years.What I loved most about this movie is the simplicity; of the story, the characters, the filming. Yet within that classic style is a movie that is incredibly moving. The stories that Alvin has to tell about his life are saddening, touching, and almost frightening. He talks about being old, about fighting in World War II, and about his regrets of not speaking to his brother. He runs into quite a few people along the way who help him out, and their stories contribute to a beautifully crafted script. Richard Farnsworth is convincing in the role of Alvin. His abilities are most especially outlined in the sad tone of his voice, and the look of regret and hope in his eyes. It is rare that I have grown to respect and adore a character so much. David Lynch's direction is not dark or creepy like his other works, but carefully and nicely photographed in great harmony with the script. The cinematography is smoothe, and the extended takes prove his abilities as a director and the actors abilities as well. This film is done in a classic manner, and the results are moving in a rare way. I sincerely hopes this film eventually gets the recognition it deserves.
Rating:
Summary: love letter straight from dl's heart
Review: it's a shame that lynch's mastery of communicating human beauty only appears on some viewers' radars when he portrays a mostly peaceful and charming story with -- sorry if this spoils the movie for you -- no nudity, violence, or eff this / eff that. if you don't let shocking themes, language, or the occasional extreme toggle your switch to off, most of what you may admire in this movie can be found in every other lynch work. 'eraserhead' was full of the same love for its characters (even the baby, i'd argue), and i can't think of a lynch film since where that has abated. i see his films as a winking buddy sharing what joy can be wrenched from any situation. if you're shocked that he can make a g movie, you may have missed 'on the air', his extremely g, gigglefest tv show that was yanked from america's airwaves before it finished (unjustly, i'll assert, while bowing to the free market). probably above all else, lynch is humorous. that seems to bypass many viewers who are in a hurry to get a handle on something and move on. from before 'eraserhead' through 'twin peaks' and 'the straight story', lynch tells each story with an untainted heart. i hope this film will encourage those who so easily recoil from such films as 'blue velvet' to revisit them and recognize that nothing's changed except the story; the love has always been there. if you hated lynch before, give this a try and maybe you'll reconsider. if you still don't like him, it's probably just because you're too stup... hey, i'm just kidding! seriously, everything's fine. no sweat.
Rating: 
Summary: gives new meaning to phrase, "change of pace"
Review: If you didn't know from the opening credits, you might very well have been hard-pressed to guess that David Lynch directed this movie. Yes, "Big Ed" from Twin Peaks does turn up in one scene, as does Harry Dean Stanton, who was also in Wild at Heart. But there aren't too many familiar Lynchian faces, and there is none of the surrealistic, kinky imagery and over-the-top outrageousness he has become known for. The movie's extremely leisurely pace is a bit frustrating for a while, but eventually you kind of settle down and go along for the one-of-a-kind ride with Alvin Straight. Richard Farnsworth's honest, direct, performance draws you in, and he refrains from either going over the top or being expressionlessly wooden, traps Lynch actors often fall into. He and Sissy Spacek fully and unsentimentally realize their flawed, limited, but human characters, and provide the main reasons for watching the film. The lovely cinematography and fine score also deserve praise--Lynch films are always fine in those categories, whatever else their flaws, due to the exceptional skills of Freddie Francis and Angelo Badamente. The ending is a guaranteed tearjerker, but not in a cheap, hokey, manipulative way--you feel you know the Farnsworth character, and you're moved when you see his deep emotion. Let's hope Lynch makes more movies like this in the future--sincere, unsentimental looks at how life is really lived in America, and how beautiful and sad it can be.
Rating:
Summary: Great for Father's Day
Review: I took my 77 year-old father to see this movie in March. We absolutely loved it. So often the elderly are portrayed as helpless and weak in today's movies. Not so in this movie. Straight Story was a tale of a wonderfully simple man doing the right thing and helping others along the way. I promise, it will touch you. I hope the price of this video drops soon because I think it would be a great gift for my dad on Father's Day. May be a little slow for children, wonderful scenery.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: This is the most genuine and unpretentious film to come along in years. Lynch has broken new ground with The Straight Story. Expect to see many filmmakers in the future borrowing from its unobtrusive style.
Rating: 
Summary: Still Trying to Watch This Movie
Review: I tried to watch The Straight Story last night, but had to give up after a while because Sissy Spacek was driving me up the wall. What an overdone, annoying performance. But I'm going to give it another try tonight, because Richard Farnsworth is so good. Also, I'm encouraged by the fact that one viewer who's seen it all the way through said that Spacek is out of the movie after the first half hour. By the way, another viewer stated that this was Farnsworth's first lead role. Doesn't anyone remember 1982's The Grey Fox? A terrific movie!
Rating:
Summary: The Straight Story - a slice of Americana
Review: Hard-core David Lynch fans usually expect the master to shock with his films. In "The Straight Story," fans are shocked in a different way. "Tenderness can be just as abstract as insanity," Lynch said in regards to this film. And he proves it. Based on a true story, the viewer learns about Alvin Straight through the people he meets. Richard Farnsworth gained an Oscar nominee, but the entire cast should have been included. Through subtle performances and story-telling, "The Straight Story" grabs your heart. Doesn't let go, even after the credits. Trust me. Go into this film without reading the other reviews that give away the plot you can witness yourself. Invest two hours well spent.
Rating: 
Summary: David Lynch's "straight" movie.
Review: Avid filmgoers have been shocked that David Lynch directed this G-rated Disney movie (DAVID LYNCH!), but those who pay close attention while watching it will notice a few Lynchian send-ups of Americana, albeit muted. The director strives for compassion -- I think he mostly succeeds -- but he still can't quite resist chuckling at some of the folks he puts in his movie. (For instance, Farnsworth blowing apart his first lawnmower with a shotgun might be just a bit overdetermined.) There isn't the full respect and acceptance of rural America that one finds, wondrously, in Robert Duvall's *The Apostle*. That small unpleasantness over with, let me praise the virtues of *The Straight Story*. The movie is a welcome reminder for all of us to SLOW DOWN. Lynch forces us to travel at Alvin Straight's pace, which at first is funny . . . and soon provides opportunities for some inner reflection (entirely possible while watching a film). And, of course, the scenery is beautiful -- Lynch doesn't make a pretensious point of that, he merely presents it. The story itself is about an old patriarch (Richard Farnsworth) who wishes to make amends with his stroke-afflicted brother. Without a proper driver's license, he must drive the 370 or so miles on a lawnmower, with a small camper hitched to the back. Naturally, it's based on a true story. It's a demanding role for Richard Farnsworth (FAR FAR more demanding than Kevin Spacey's larking about in *American Beauty*), who handles it superbly. This guy pops up in movies every once in a while, and one is always astonished at his dominating screen presence. But, perhaps even more astonishing is Sissy Spacek's lamentably brief work in this movie. Lynch makes a HUGE error by dropping her after 30 minutes. Her portrayal of Alvin's daughter is shockingly one-of-a-kind -- you'll never see anything quite like it in a film again. But that's what great actors do, and Spacek's one of our best. I recommend *The Straight Story*. It's not a masterpiece, but it doesn't strive for greatness, anyway. It just does its job . . . beautifully.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest films ever!
Review: This movie is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is such a simple, moving tale that Richard Farnsworth plays with such greatness, he transcends the role of actor. This film gives hope to those who believe that the human spirit and human kindness still have a place in the world. It will fill anyone who has lost there way in the world with meaning. I am a better person for watching the film. You will be too.
Rating:
Summary: ONLY THOSE WHO APPRECIATE REAL FILMMAKING NEED APPLY.
Review: In a time when special effects and too many cuts take the place real human experience, it is a sigh of relief to know that there are still films out there that you don't have to download into your brain. The oldest ingredients are still the best: simple settings, spiritually uplifing music,commanding cinematography and truly fragile portrayals by people worthy of being called actors. The performances of Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek and the rest of the cast are what genuine filmmaking always has and always will be about. The Straight Story is by far one the best films I have ever seen in my life- and as a filmmaker, I have seen many. It is but once in very, very, very blue moon which we see a picture that measures up to the quality and caliber of this simple story. The power of persistence and the capacity of the human soul to perform great deeds is the focus of this subtle masterpiece! This is a story from which all of us should take example.
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